Thirty two

Jessie was sat eating breakfast on Monday morning, fully dressed in her school clothes. Jack had visited again on Sunday night and Jessie was feeling less guilty and more optimistic about the future. Rick, Faith, Elektra and Frank were all shocked to see her sat in her uniform casually eating breakfast while talking to Harry and Jeff who were excited about the new girl who was coming. Gus had been fostered the day before and now there was someone coming even younger than Harry.

Jessie smiled at them as they sat down. "morning," she said cheerfully. They all looked a little stunned. "We are talking about the new girl, Floss. I wonder what she's like?" she said turning back to Harry.

He shrugged. "I don't know. I hope she is nice and will play with me," he said quietly. Jessie hugged him.

"Well if she doesn't I'll always play with you," Jessie told him, before taking a mouthful of cereal. Mike walked in from the garden. He didn't seem surprised to see Jessie in the kitchen.

"Jessie, I'm going to pick you up from school and drop you off at the youth offenders. Josh wants to talk to you, he got the wardens to phone us and tell us," Mike told her. She nodded.

They finished their breakfast and climbed into the minibus to go to school. Jessie and Frank were to help Rick as much as possible and photocopy their notes for him as he wouldn't be able to write, even though he was going to school. When they got to school Frank and Jessie took Rick inside as he didn't want to stay in the playground and have people ask him what happened. They went to their form room and sat on their tables talking to each other. Mr Crowhurst came in, about five minutes later.

"What are you lot doing here? You know you aren't supposed to be in here until 8:30," he told them as he came over to them, once he had noticed them. Rick held up his injured arm as best as he could. "oh. You wanted to avoid the staring then Rick?" he asked. Rick nodded. "What happened?"

"An almost fatal attempt on Jessie's life led to me pushing her out the way and having the arrow pierce my shoulder muscles and bone," Rick replied, nonchalantly shrugging and then gasping in pain.

Jessie bit her lip to stop her laughter at Rick's stupidity. Rick saw what she was doing and pulled a face at her. That set Frank off into laughter. Mr Crowhurst just looked at the three of them in surprise, shook his head and left them to it. "I'll let Mr Morgan know I've given you permission to use our form room at break and lunch," he said as he left the room.

Jessie turned round to look at Rick. "You really are stupid sometimes," she told him. He shrugged with his left shoulder.

"Hey, it's going to take some getting used to the fact I can't move my right arm at the moment," Rick told her cheekily. She smiled at him and he smiled back. Rick had found out why Jessie had looked so tired the morning he'd got discharged and had told her she could come into his room overnight if she needed him, which she had done last night. Rick didn't know what to do. He couldn't stop the nightmares and he couldn't stop her feeling any less guilty.

As he thought about ways to make her feel better their class started coming in. The first people clocked his arm and soon everyone was gathered around him and asking him questions. They had all left a wide berth from Jessie though, assuming she had hurt him, like her brother and mother had hurt her. Sophie didn't care about this though and had sat down in her usual seat with Jessie and spun round to hear what Rick had to say. Jessie scowled at them and that made them all even more nervous.

"What happened Rick?"

"Did Jessie hurt you?"

"Why is your arm in a sling?"

"Does it really hurt?"

Rick sighed and let the questions just pass him by. "I'm not telling you anything, except it wasn't Jessie or any of the other care kids who hurt me," he told them calmly. He knew if he got angry they would think he was being defensive of his girlfriend. The class all sighed and went and sat in the seats as Mr Crowhurst walked in and started calling the register.

Sophie stayed staring at Rick. She answered her name and then asked what she wanted to. "What has happened Rick?" she whispered. Rick looked at Jessie who was staring resolutely at the whiteboard but nodded almost imperceptibly.

"Long story short, I got shot in the arm with a crossbow trying to protect Jessie from someone who wanted to murder her," Rick rattled off quietly. Sophie turned to look at Jessie, stunned that she hadn't said anything.

"I'm sorry but someone wanted to murder Jessie?" she asked. Rick nodded.

"her brother's cellmate," Frank added. Sophie turned back to face the front and snuck a glance at Jessie. Jessie was staring, unseeingly at the board and ignoring what was being said behind her even though she could hear it.

"Alright Jessie?" Sophie asked. Jessie turned to face her, smiled and nodded.

"I'm just perfect," Jessie replied and turned back to copying down what was written on the board as they were having a theory PE lesson that day.

At the end of the school day when Jessie walked out of school with Rick towards the YOI, Jessie acknowledged how many stares she was getting and assumed word had spread about the attempted murder on her resulting in Rick's injury. "Was it Sophie that told them or did someone else overhear and spread it?" Jessie whispered.

"Actually I think it was Elektra as she kept being asked questions as to where we were so she ended up explaining everything that had happened," Rick told her, shrugging. Jessie looked at him.

"really?" she asked. He nodded and they carried on walking in silence towards the YOI.

A/N: I wanted to leave you in suspense about what Josh wanted to talk to Jessie about. Indigo :)